Wolfpack tipoff: Game 1, Georgia Tech
NC State (24-12, 9-9 ACC in 2018-19) vs. Georgia Tech (14-18, 6-12)
PNC Arena (19,772)
8:30 p.m., ACC Network (PxP: Jay Alter; Analyst: Chris Spatola)
Streaming: WatchESPN; National radio: Sirius 371, XM 371; Live stats: GoPack.com
Series history: State leads 57-40 (13-13 in Raleigh, 11-5 at PNC)
Last meeting: Tech 63, State 61
Most recent game: Season opener for both teams
BetOnline line: State minus 7 1/2 | Over/Under 151
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
"We're coming out of the gate saying that we expect to win every game we play. We just have an ACC opponent. We will be a better team two weeks from now, but everybody can make that statement. I want to see our guys play together, I want to see how far we've come a long from the time we played Mount Olive or ECU in the closed scrimmage That being said, I think some guys have got some great opportunities to be able to play and show people who they are." Coach Kevin Keatts
"It’s been tough, it’s been a challenge. Everybody we have is bringing it, 100 percent, a lot of energy to practice. I hope everyone can get healed up and feeling good, especially for tomorrow. It’s just a little adversity we’ve had to deal with." Junior guard Braxton Beverly
PROJECTED STARTERS
| NC STATE | 2018-19 stats | GEORGIA TECH | 2018-19 stats | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Markell Johnson | 6-1 Senior | 12.6 ppg, 4.2 apg | Jose Alvarado | 6-0 Junior | 12.5 ppg, 3.9 apg |
C.J. Bryce | 6-5 Senior | 11.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg | Michael DeVoe | 6-5 Sophomore | 9.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg |
Devon Daniels | 6-5 Junior | 9.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg | Khalid Moore | 6-7 Sophomore | 4.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg |
Jericole Hellems | 6-5 Sophomore | 5.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg | Moses Wright | 6-9 Junior | 6.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg |
Manny Bates | 6-11 Freshman | N/A | James Banks III | 6-10 Senior | 10.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg |
NOTABLE
Tuesday’s game marks the first time since the 1967-68 season that the Wolfpack has opened the season with an ACC game. State ot the 67-68 season off to a winning start by beating Wake Forest 79-63 in Winston-Salem on Dec. 2, 1967. State began the 1979-80 season against arch-rival North Carolina, but that game didn't count in the ACC standings because it was part of the old Big Four tournament. ...
This is the first time since Nov. 19, 1999 that State has opened a season against a Power 5 opponent. The Wolfpack beat Georgia 67-63, in that game, which was also its first game ever at PNC Arena (then known as the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena).The Wolfpack is 19-1 in season openers at PNC and has won 24 of its last 25 season openers overall. ...
The Wolfpack returns six of its top seven scorers from last season’s 24-12 team. State’s returning players combine to account for 69 percent of the scoring, 61 percent of the rebounding and 72 percent of the assists from 2018-19. ...
Redshirt freshman Manny Bates will make his official State debut against the Yellow Jackets. The Fayetteville native missed his senior season of high school with a shoulder injury and sat out last season after having preseason shoulder surgery. This will be his first game representing his school since Feb. 24, 2017 - a span of 985 days. ...
For the third straight season, coach Kevin Keatts has added two grad transfers to the roster (2017-18 - Allerik Freeman (Baylor) and Sam Hunt (North Carolina A&T); 2018-19 - Eric Lockett (FIU) and Wyatt Walker (Samford). This year, the Pack has added sharp-shooting wing Pat Andree from Lehigh and physical big man Danny Dixon from Missouri-Kansas City. ...
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